18 Trailblazers Share Bold Advice You Need to Hear Right Now

It can feel daunting to get out of your comfort zone, try new things, and make the bold plays to reach new heights in your career. We have spoken to 50+ trailblazing women from across the industry who have reached the CMO level and beyond by being confident, taking risks and making their own rules. Here, we share some of the best and boldest pieces of advice for women to help kickstart the new year with a bang. For more tips from top women leaders, be sure to explore the Survival Guide for Women Marketers and advice on combatting stigmas and stereotypes. For the Self-Doubter “I always tell my kids that confidence is 90% of being successful in anything, and I think that applies at work as well. Believe in yourself, your ability to do the job, and to overdeliver. I also think it’s important to play to your strengths and to focus on what you do better than anyone else.” Stephanie McMahon, Chief Brand Officer, WWE “People need to believe in themselves, forgive themselves for not being perfect and do what you love–it sounds trite, but it really does make a difference.” Aimée Lapic, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer, GoPro “Don’t be afraid to take the head of the table if you are the leader.” Nadine Karp McHugh, President, SeeHer For the Timid One “If you are facing a tough challenge that scares you, and you’re not sure if you can do it…then take it on. The worst that can happen is that you’ll fail. And if that happens, you’ll have learned some invaluable lessons and gained some courage–both of which will serve you well in the future!” Singleton Beato, Chief Diversity and Engagement Officer, McCann “I want to live a life without regret and that requires the bravery to jump, even when you’re not sure the net is there. I hope we can all do that. Ask for the raise. Go for the stretch job (even if you don’t have all the experience just yet). Push past the fear of not having “enough” experience/time/worth to achieve the next step in your career RIGHT NOW.” Bozoma Saint John, CMO, Netflix “Dare to be different! As a young girl my father would always encourage me to not only be comfortable being different but also actively seek opportunities to forge my own path and do things on my terms. This advice has served me well and given me the confidence to trust my instincts and hear my own voice louder than any others. You can courageously take the road less traveled and that is so freeing.” Dalana Brand, VP of People Experience and Head of Inclusion and Diversity, Twitter For the One Who Puts Work First “I encourage women and men to have a defined personal brand and be consistent in how you deliver it. It’s so important to constantly sharpen your skills and to find ways to differentiate yourself from others. ...By finding ways to share your voice and point of view, you’ll further strengthen that skill set which will ultimately help your personal brand.” Alicia Tillman, Global CMO, SAP “You need a brand.” I realized I’d been focusing entirely on my creative work and not at all on my career. So, I learned to be more of a participant in the industry, to work the room a little more instead of waiting for good things to come to me. I’d advise every creative to do the same.’ Margaret Johnson, Chief Creative Officer at Goodby Silverstein & Partners For the Hesitant One “Don’t be afraid to ask questions or communicate your ideas. Sometimes in certain rooms, there may be feelings of hesitancy but push through that and step forward. Nothing is more important than having confidence in your abilities and acting as if you belong, because you do.” Jill Gregory, CMO, NASCAR “Be curious and be generous. Curiosity is deeply linked to learning. I believe that if you keep changing and evolving, you’ll always have a job.” Dana Anderson, former Chief Transformation Officer, MediaLink For the One at a Crossroads “Never allow anyone to tell you what you can or should do. Find out what you’re good at, what you love and feed that passion. Keep working hard. Surround yourself with positive people who will support and encourage you. It won’t always be easy. You need to build resilience. ...When you believe in what you do, you will go from strength to strength and take satisfaction and enjoyment from that mission.” Edwina Dunn, Founder, The Female Lead “Trust your gut. Before business school, I spent three years in reinsurance, where I really enjoyed the numbers but felt like something was missing–the right-brained, creative thinking element that I love. I knew this industry wasn’t for me, and also felt in my gut that business school was the best next step to find out what was [for me]. Despite friends telling me I needed at least five years of work experience to get an MBA, I applied, was accepted, and found my career in marketing that I’ve never looked back from.” Deirdre Findlay, CMO, Conde Nast “Don’t be afraid to do what’s right, especially when the risks are high. While it may be risky in the short-term, in the long-run it may be the key to unlock material change and as long as you’re true to your values, you’ll be able to sleep at night.” Ronalee Zarate-Bayani, CMO, LA Rams For the Introvert “I am seeing a lot more next-generation leaders and managers proactively manage their careers and ask for clarity and feedback on how to progress. I think that is great. I also sometimes observe a lack of calibration around the timeline for progression and what makes sense, which can create a perception of impatience and even entitlement. Careers are long – and you want to be set up for success. Remember that relationships and mentors are important, and it takes time to build those naturally.” Jen Wong, COO, Reddit “Lift as you climb. If you want to go fast, go alone; but if you want to go far, go together. Too often, people get content and comfortable in their roles and begin to protect their position. In the past, there was a notion that there is only room for one woman at the table. If that’s the case, build a bigger table. Once there, slide over and make room for others. Allies, mentors and sponsorship are critical.” Victoria Russell, VP of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Papa John’s For the One Who Stays in Their Comfort-Zone “Be authentic, future-leaning, change-embracing and present. It’s so easy to get lost in technology and stray from your focus. Even with today’s ways of connecting globally through technology, for me, there is no better way to connect with teams, partners and customers than to visit and engage in the markets we operate in.” Lynne Biggar, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Visa “People can help you or work against you, they have a choice. Be respectful. Embrace and champion change. Change is going to happen—you can lead it or it can happen to you.” Judy John, Global Chief Creative Officer, Edelman “By now, we’re all well-versed in the studies and reports that show that companies with more diverse teams, across race, ethnicity, gender, religion and other dimensions deliver stronger business results. Business leaders need to set an intention to have representation at the executive and board level. They have to be comfortable shifting the power and giving “others” a seat at the table. It is really that simple.” Danielle Lee, Chief Fan Officer, NBA

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18 Trailblazers Share Bold Advice You Need to Hear Right Now

Heide Palermo

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